1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to game devices and more specifically it relates to a hockey game apparatus which combines the physical characteristics of hockey with the strategic characteristics of foosball.
Game devices which simulate the game of hockey have existed for years. A common problem for the prior art game devices is that they are extremely noisy from the player's sticks engaging the side walls and partitions. In addition, the prior art games had no way to introduce the ball or disk onto the playing surface so that neither player had an advantage. Further, the prior art game devices have square corners which tend to trap the ball or disk during play. Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hockey game apparatus which reduces the amount of undesirable noise produced by the player's sticks engaging the side walls and partitions. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hockey game apparatus which reduces the chance that the ball or disk will become trapped during play.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous game devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,593,421 to Blum; U.S. Pat. No. 1,144,112 to Denny; U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,163 to Erickson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,152 to Roehl; U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,620 to Sheppard; U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,111 to Schuelke; U.S. Pat. No. 513,116 to Knight; U.S. Pat. No. 1,980,274 to Insall et al. are all illustrative of such prior art.
Blum (U.S. Pat. No. 1,593,421) discloses a game apparatus designed to simulate the game of hockey. Blum teaches game board having a floor, four side walls with two opposing goals, and two partitions with openings within. The players utilize a stick to engage a ball and attempt to score within the opposing player's goal.
Denny (U.S. Pat. No. 1,144,112) discloses a game appliance having a floor, side walls with two opposing goals, and a center partition with a pair of holes. Players utilize hockey sticks to engage a ball attempting to score the ball within the opposing player's goal.
Erickson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,163) discloses a hockey game for use with a ball or disk. Erickson teaches a floor, side walls with two opposing goals, and a plurality of partitions with openings within. Players utilize sticks to engage the ball or disk attempting to score within the opposing player's goal.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for which combines the physical characteristics of hockey with the strategic characteristics of foosball. The prior art devices are extremely noisy when the player's sticks engage the side walls and partitions. Further, the prior art devices have problems with the ball or disk becoming trapped in the corners during play and they are not designed to allow equal advantage to both players.
In these respects, the hockey game apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of which combines the physical characteristics of hockey with the strategic characteristics of foosball.